Hand lamp



R. R. SMITH May 20, 1930.

HAND LAMP Filed May 7, 1925 Parental May'4 2o. reso maar UNI-TED STATES rA'ran'r @Fries RALPH R. SMITH, IOF JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, .ASSIGfNOR TO NATIONAL CAIR.-F

BON COMPANY, INC., ALH CORPORATION OF NEW YORK HAND Application filed May 7,

' Thisv invention relates to battery hand type which includes adjustable focus mechaafter appear. .i l

drawmgs, Fig. 1 1s a longitudinal lamps such as flashlights and has for 'its principal object to provide a lamp of this nism for altering the spread of the projected light, in combination with means to prevent the ignition of explosive substances such as mine gases, gasoline vapor, hydrogen, acety# lene, etc. by the lamp filament in caseV the lamp bulb is accidently broken in a place where an explosive mixture is likely to be found. This combination of features is broadly new. l

It is a further object of the invention to provide a safety unit insertible-in adjustable focus flashlights now in use, and cooperative therewith to preserve the adjustable focus' feature while adding provision to guard against gas explosion. 1

Although the invention is illustrated in a*l tubular flashlight, of a well-known type, certain features maybe advantageously employed in battery hand lanterns and other lighting" devices. L

Other objects and advantages will here1n- In Ythe Y i sec/tion through a tubular flashlight' embodying features ofthe present;lv invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the safety unit on a larger scale Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, front,

A end and side views of an improved guard lower end ofthe battery. The cap rmay be turned to move the battery, land lthe battery by its movement may shift the lamp 3 rela-4 tively-to the focus of a reflector 7 to `foeallze them and to alter lthe spread of the reflected reduced sleeve sections.

LAMP

1925. :serial No. 28,708.

light. yThis will be fully explained i con nect'ion with the detailed description of the 'safety unit. vA. spare'lamp 8 may be carried by a springelip 9 within the annular member 6.

A7reflector and lamp enclosing head 10 at the upper end ofthe casing comprises a shell 11 threaded on the casing body 1, and a heavy lens ring 12 threaded on the shell 11. A thick lens 13 is held'between the shell 11 and thelens ring 12, and the reflector 7 has its circular rim held between the lensand the i shell 11. The reflectoris held stationary against the lens by a tough fiber tube 13a that lines the casing, and the lamp is movable vrelatively tothe reflector to adjust the focus of the light.` I

The reflector safety unit. and supports all the other `elements thereof. The reflector is centrally apertured, being formed with arearwardly extending sleeve 14 that has'a large upper section 15 and a reduced lower end section 16. y

Exterioriand interior shoulders 17 and 18 are provided at thejunction of said large and a support upon which a bulb socket assembly 19 yis slidabl'y and rotatably mounted. A

7 formsl an element of the The sleeve 14 forms smooth-bored' bulb socket 20 slides within 4 'i lthe reduced portion 1G of the sleeve 14,being urgedfdownward by an encircling compression spring 21 interposed between the shoulder v17and an outturned flange 22 formed on j the lower end of the socket 20, and being.

limited in said downward `n1ove1`nent byan outturned flange 23 at its upper end engage; able with the shoulder '18. The socket 20 loosely receives the base of the lamp 3. A J

cup 24 fast to the socket 20 cooperates with 4 thev socket to-suppdrtt'he other elements of vthebulb socket assembly 19.-' The cup-24 surrounds and slides upon the large reflector sleeve section 15 and houses the spring 21'. The (flange 22 on the lower end ofthe socket 20 extends beneath a crimped portion 25 of the cup and cooperates with the bottoni 26 of the cup\;to hold and clamp together vari? ous elements of the socket' assembly 19f An insulating Washer 27 just large enough i to fit the bore` ofthe cup 24 snugly, supports and positions a recessed and-flanged conductive member 28Ythat extends out through a central opening in the washer and through a larger registering opening in the bottom 26 of the cup. A complementary chambered member 29 having an upwardly extending neck 30 cooperateswith the melnber 28 to house a shouldered conductive pin 31 and a spring 32, beneath the pin, that urges the pin upward through the neck. An annular insulating spacer 33 encircles the chambered member 29 to position it centrally of the cup so that the pin 31, which is guided by the bore of the neck 30, will be located to engage the center lamp terminal 34. Provision is made of resilient means engaging the base of the bulb and urging the bulb in a direction to break contact with the pin 31. As illustrated such resilient means consists -of a conductive coil spring 35 having its lower turn enlarged and caught between the fiange 22 and the spacer 33, and extendswithin the socket 20, into position to engage the rim lamp terminal 36 at the lower margin of the lamp base.

With the mechanism thus far described the lamp 3 would simply rest loosely upon the spring 35 in the upper part/of the socket 20, out of contact with the pin 31. A guard 37 extends across the front of the bulb 38 of lamp 3 and bears against it to press it into operative position in the socket 20, with its center contact against the pin 31. This guard has long straight legs 39 that extend through holes 40 in the reflector 7 and are secured at their lower ends in an internally threaded collar 41. The upper edge of the cup 24 has an external thread which may be turned into the collar 41 by rotation of the socket assembly 19, to 'draw the guard 37 down, and thus force the lamp 3 down into the socket 20 in opposition to the expansion force of the.

sprin 35. As seen in Fig. v2 the pin 31 is finally forced downward slightly by this `action, compressing the spring 32, so that a good firm contact is had between the pin and the central lamp terminal 34, as well between the spri'.` g 35 and the rim terminal 36. This completes the assembly of the safety unit (shown fully assembled in Figure 2), which may be put in place in the flashlight by securing the edge of the reflector between the lens 13 and the shell 11 of the flashlight head 10.

Wvhen the switch 4 is closed an electric circuit may be traced from the positive battery terminal 42 through member 28, spring 32, pin 31, lamp 3, spring 35, socket 20, spring 21, reflector 15, a conductor 43, switch 4, casing body 1, cap 5, and the annular member G, tor

the negative battery terminal 44. Springs 21 and 35 could obviously be replaced by non-conducting resilient means, in which case the conducting path would be directly from the lam p` base through the socket 20 to the reflector 15. The springs 21 and 35, however, make more certain contact,4 and prevent sparking between the socket and the lamp base or the reector in case of accident.

The socket assembly 19, together with the guard 37 and the lamp 3 can be moved as a whole relatively to the reflector 7 by moving the battery toward the upper end of the fiashlight. Such movement is effected by turning the cap 5, and shifts the lamp 3 along the re- Hector axis to alter the spread of the light, at the same time compressing the spring 21. Movement of the cap 5 in the opposite direction permits the spring 21 to expand, and thereby causes the lamp 3 to be moved in the opposite direction. /Vhile these movements stress and relax the spring 21 they do not affect the state of springs 32 and 35, so that uniformly good contact is had with both lamp terminals in all adjusted positions of the focusing means. c

The flashlightA is especially designed for use in mines and similar places where explosive gases are found. Such gases are apt to be ignited by the incandescent filament of an ordinary flashlight, in case the bulb thereof is broken. With the construction of the present invention, this is impossible. When the bulb '38 is broken, the spring 35 immediately expands, throwing the central lamp terminal out of contact with the conductor pin 31, and thereby breaking the circuit instantly. The filament is thus cooled quickly enough to avoid igniting mine gases. The pin is caused by the spring 32 to follow the lamp base upward for a short distance, but is arrestedby engagement of t-he pin shoulders 45 with cooperating shoulders 46 of the member 29. T he spring 35 functions with equal speed and efficiency in all adjusted positions of the lamp 3, because the stress of the spring is not affected by the focus adjusting movements of the socket assembly 19.

The base of the lamp 3 may be a little loose in the socket 20, and therefore inclined to tilt sidewise and locate the filament out straight wire guard by the spring. The guard 37, however, is especially constructed to avoid such a tendency. The bulb en gaging portion 47 of the guard 37 is bent substantially S-shaped, as seen in Fig. 4, and is curved as seen in Figs.' 3 and 5 to form a basket or concave seat for centering the convex bulb in the socket. rlhe shape gfv the guard also effectively protects the ulb.

Other provision is also made to protect the bulb against breakage and lthe socket assen1-y bly against injury. The lens 13 and lens ring 12 are made of very heavy and substantial materials, and the tough fiber tube 13a that lines the casing around the socket assembly guards against 'injury by blows agalnst the side of the casing head. A fixed,

'of the reflector axis it' pressed against a Y stiff aligningjwasher 47 a reinforces the upper end of the casing body 1 and also serves as a Guide for the socket assembly 19.A j

lIfo replace a broken or dead lamp the safety unit is removed from the flashlight.. The socket assembly 19 is then turned to unscrew it from the collar 41, the ,latter being vheld against rotation by engagement of the guard legs 39 with the reflector 7.- This releases the guard '37 from connection with the cup 24, so that the guard can'be lifted to provide space for the insertionof a newslamp beneath it. l

The guard 37 is desirably formed from a s1ngle length of wire. Other forms and materials maybe used, however. In Figs. 6 and .7 there is shown a guard `48 formed fromy sheet metal or other sheet material/which may be stamped and folded over to form legs 49 and a base 50 of the required rigidity. The centralportion of the base is enlarged and cupped to forma concave, continuous seat 51 fora lamp 38a to support the lamp and center it relatively to a reflector, as al-f rready described. The lower ends of legs 49 are'secured in a threaded ring 41a, the construction, with the exception of the guard, itself, being the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. r j

The form ofguard shown inzFigs. 6 and 7 is especially advantageous for use in places j where easily ignited gases, suchl as hydrogen,

are used. wIn mine gases the form of the inventidn disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 is always safe, against explosion. In\ hydrogen ,andg some other gases, however, provisionmust be made for cooling the filament more j quickly than vin mine gases. rlhe guard ofV Figs. 6 and 7 accomplishes this result. As soon as the bulb is broken the lamp filament is forced^into contact with the guard seat land immediately cooled because the guard is arf4 excellent conductor of heat andvislof large mass as compared with the filament.

Variations may be resorted to within the `scope of the invention and parts of the improvements may be used without others. I claim:

1. In a flashlight, the combination with a battery, an incandescent lamp 'incircuit 'with the battery, and a reflector-,of an adjustable -lamp socket assembly carryingthe lamp, andmeansoperable to move ythe lamp socket assembly forr shifting the lamp relatively to the reflector and thereby altering the spread of the projected light, said lamp socket assembly includingjmeansoperable for holdingthe lamp in circuit while the lamp bulb isv unbroken and for moving the lamp out of circuit when the lamp bulb broken. f y i 2. In aflashlight the combination. with a battery, an incandescent lamp having -a -terminalin contact with' a connectorin' circuit with the battery, anda-reflector, ofv

1 to the reflector, a guardcarried by the socket a lamp socket assembly carrying the lampy and adjustable to shift the ,lamp relatively assembly and bearing against the lamp bulb to press the lamp into contact with said con- 70 ductor, and resilient means carried bythe socket assembly and bearing against the lamp `t`o force' the llamp out of contact with said v conductor to open the circuit when the lamp bulb is broken.

3. In a flashlight, the combination with a f battery,a lamp in circuit therewith, and a reflector, of a lamp socket assembly carrying the lamp, resilient 'means urging ,the lamp socket assembly in one direction, adjustable so means for/forcing the lamp socketY assembly in the opposite direction to focalize the lamp and reflector, and means carried by the socket assembly for holding the lamp in `circuit while lthe lamp bulb is unbroken and for automatically opening the circuit to the lamp when the lampbulb is broken.

4. vIn a yflashlight, the combination with a battery, a lamp in circuit therewith, and

a reflector, of a lamp socket assembly. carry-A gp ing the^lamp, Ia springurging the lamp socket assembly in one direction, adjustable means for forcing the socket assembly in' the opposite direction, a bulb seat carried v by the socket assembly for holding the lampf in operative position and resilient means carried bythe socket .assembly and pressing the lamp against the bulb seat with uniform force in all adjusted positions of the socket as-.- sembly, said resilient means being arranged to force the .lamp out of circuit wi terywhen the bulb isbroken.

5. In a f lashlight,the combination with a i lamp, of conductors bearingwith spring pressure against both the center and rim terminals of the lamp, means acting through the lamp bulb to support the,l lamp in opposition to said conductors, said conductors being constructed and arranged to expand unequal dis? e th the battances in case the lamp is deprived of said i support by the breakage of the bulb, whereby one of the conductors will move the lamp out of contact with the other and will thereby L pe'n thefcircuit, a lamp socket assembly carrying the conductors and said lamp sufporting means, and means`for adjusting the lamp socket assembly to focus the lamp without altering the stresses or the relationship of said conductors.

6. In a flashlight, the combinaiton with aY conductor, a lamp in'circuit therewith, and a reflector, of a lamp socket assembly in back of-the reflector` and slidable thereon, resilient means carried by the lamp socket assembly j and urging the lampl out of its socket, a guard mounted on` the lamp socket assembly and extending through the reflector and across 'the frontlo'f the lamp bulb to support the lamp in operative position againstrthe force of said resilient' means, and means for ad- \30 justing the lamp socket assembly longitudinally of the reflector axis. A l

7 In a flashlight, the combination with av conductor, a lamp in circuit therewith, and a reflector, of a lamp socket assembly in back of the reflector and slidable thereon, resilient means carried by the lamp socket assembly and urging the lamp out of its socket, a guard mounted on the lamp socket assembly and eX- tending through the reflector and across the front of the lamp bulb to support the lamp in operative position against the force of said resilient means, and means for adjusting the lamp socket assembly longitudinally of the reflector axis, said guard being detachable from the lamp socket assembly to permit a new bulb to be inserted in the socket.

8. In a flashlight, the combination with a ba-ttery, a lamp in circuit therewith and a. reflector, of a guard bearing against the bulb of the lamp for holding the lamp in operative position, a spring pressing the lamp against the guard, and means including the battery for shifting the guard and altering the position of the lamp, to alter the spread of the projected light.

' 9. In a flashlight, the combination with a battery, a lamp in circuit therewith, and a reflector, of a rotatable and longitudinally movable socket assembly carrying the lamp, a spring tending to force the lamp from the socket, a guard for holding fthe lamp in the socket in opposition to the spring and threaded means for coupling the guard and the socket assembly by rotation of the latter.

10. In a flashlight, the combination with a casing, a lamp and a battery, of a socket assembly carrying the lamp, a cap threaded on the casing and adjustable to move the battery and through the battery to move the socket assembly and the lamp, means forn'iing part of 'the socket assembly for connecting the lamp in circuit With the battery, and means also forming part of the socket assembly to open the circuit to the lamp when the bulb thereof is broken.

l1. In a flashlight, the combination with an incandescent lamp, a socket therefor and a spring pressing the lamp from the socket, of a guard formedvwith a succession of reversely curved loops across the front of the bulb to form a substantial seat for the bulb, said seat being concaved to engage the bulb around its aXisand center it.

12. A safety unit insertible in adjustable focus flashlights, comprising a reflector-,a socket assembly slidable thereon, a lamp carried by the socket assembly, means to connect the lamp to a source of current, and means carried by saidsocket assembly to maintain such connection while the lamp bulb is unurging the lamp from the socket, a guard holding the lamp in the socket, said guard being permanently secured to the reflector but movable relatively thereto, and means for connecting the guard to the socket assembly to cause it to move in unison with the socket assembly.

14. In a battery hand lamp, the combination with an incandescent lamp, and a battery in circuit therewith, of resilient means urging the lamp in a direction to break said circuit, and a metallic guard supporting the lamp in circuit makingposition by engagement with the bulb thereof, said guard being of sufficiently large mass to quickly cool the lamp filament when engaged therewith.

15. In a battery hand lamp', the combination With an incandescent lamp, a reflector, and a battery in circuit With the lamp, of

resilient means urging the lamp in a direction ture.

RALPH R. SMITH.

broken and to open such connections to the lamp When the bulb thereof is broken. 

